Container



NOV. 15, 1938. J, Q HQFFMAN' 2,136,795,

l coNTAINER Filed Nov. 6, 193'? ll/11111111, 'Ill/11111111 9 INVENTOR JOS-Pfl C. Hoff-7AM Patented' Nov. 15, 1938 PATENT oFFlcE CONTAINER Joseph C. HoimamiYonkers, N. Y., assignor to s J. C. Hoffman, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 6, 1937, SerialA No. 173,107

7 Claims.

The invention vrelates to containers and more particularly to that type commonly referred to as dispensing containers which generally includea movable closure whereby the dispenslng openings of said containers may be opened and closed at will.

The invention has for its object to provide a container of the indicated class which is simple in construction and of maximum eiciency in operation. The invention contemplates further a novel construction which is specially adapted for use in connection with containers made of cardboard and other non-metallic materials. Other more specic objects will appear from the description hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates examples of the invention without defining its limits, Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a container embodying the novel features; Fig. 2 is a similar vview on the line 2--2 of Fig. l; Fig..3

is a plan view with parts broken away and in' section; Fig. 4 is a face view of another form of closure for the container; Fig. 5 is a section thereof on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a face view of still another form of said closure;` Fig. '7 is a sectional view on the line 1--1 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a face view of a further form of the closure, Fig. 9 is a sectional view on the line 9--9 of Fig. 8, and Fig. 10 is a detail fragmentary section illustrating another form ofthe inven-v tion. v

In the form shown in Figs. l, 2 and `3, the novel container comprises a yreceptacle consisting of a main sec-tion or body I0 and a secondary section or sleeve II externally fitted upon said I main section I0 and fastenedin place thereon in any suitable manner, yas by gluing. The main section or body IIJ is preferably cylindrical in form with itsl upper end open and its lower end provided with a bottom in any conventional way:

upon and against the open end of the main sec,-`

tion or body IIl- 'I'he disk I2 is apertured in dependencel upon the type of container with which' it is to be combined and in accordance with the material 4for which said container is designed;

in other words, the disk I2 maybe apertured.

to sprinkle the contents of the container or to pour said contents therefrom. In the illustrated form of the containerthe disk l2 is provided with a pouring apertre I3 to exemplify the aforesaid apertured arrangement. 'I'he aperture I3 or its equivalent is controlled by means of a rotatable closure I4 provided wth a pouring opening I5 arranged to be adjusted into and out of registry with the pouring aperture I3 .to selectively open and close the same at will; it will be understood that the closure I4 is always aperfcured in a manner corresponding to the aperture arrangement of the. disk I2 and to enable the apertured portion of the latter and the apertured'portion of the closure I4 to be brought into and out of registry with each other by rotatably adjusting said closure I4. The closure I4, which is in the form of a disk dimensioned to easily and rotatablyfit within thesecondary secl tionor sleeve I I, lies in surface engagement with and rests upon the apertured disk I2 and is maintained in its assembled relation in any convenient and suitable manner; in the preferred construction the disk I2 projects beneath an internal annular bead I6 formed preferably at the outer end of the secondary section or sleeve II. In' practice the bead I6 or its equivalent is in such relation' to the disk I2 as not to develop any material restraining force thereon or to otherwise interfere with the rotation of the closure I4 `but at the same time to maintain said .closure I4 in place as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Any suitable operating means may be provided to facilitate the rotation of the closure I4 at will, said operating means being shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, in the form of a hollow rib or projection Il extending diametrically across said closure I4 and preferably comprising an integral part thereof; as illustrated in Figs. l and 2 the ribI'l projects upwardly beyond the outer face of the closure I4 and constitutes a finger-piece for rotatably adjusting the same.

Any convenient method may be followed in theconstruction and assembling of the parts of the container shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. It being assumed that `the main section or body" I0 and the secondary section or sleeve I I have been previously produced in the desired co-operating dimensions, the outer end of the sleeve II may be spun or otherwise manipulated to produce the internal annular bead I6 after which the closure I4 is placed within said sleeve II from its lower end so as to rest against said bead I6. The apertured disk I2 is then correspondingly introduced into said sleeve II and shifted lengthwise thereof until it engages the closure I4; the disk I2 is adjusted in the manner set forth to force the closure I4 into contact with the bead -IB without however clamping said closure I4 immovably against the latter, or in other Words, without suiiiv cient pressure to interfere with its ability to ro, Because of the tate in the intended manner. fact that the disk I2 fits snugly within the sleeve II, it will be securely held in place therein by friction and accordingly will maintain the closure I4 in position in said sleeve. The sleeve II with the disk I2 and closure I4 assembled therein, may then be placed over the open end of the body I -in telescopic engagement therewith and adjusted lengthwise of said body I0 until the disk I2 rests against and upon said open endof said body I0, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The sleeves II may be fastened in place on the body I0 by gluing or cementing or in any other convenient manner,

suitable to the material of which the parts are made.

With the aforesaid method, the main section III 'and the secondary section II of the container may be separately constructed as independent units and then combined in a simple manner to provide the complete and finished container. It will, of course, be obvious that the construction and assembling of the parts of the container may be carried out in various other ways and sequences without in any way changing the final product.

With the method of construction and assembling previously described herein, the assembled sleeveA II, disk I2, and closure I4, constitute a cover unit which may be combined with and xed upon the main section or body l0 after the latter has received the material it is intended to contain. The cover unit, as such, may be'readily combined with any co-operating main section or body I0 as will be obvious.

In any case, when it is desired to remove any part of the contents of the container, it is simply necessary to rotatably adjust the closure I4 until the opening I5 or its equivalent registers with the aperture I3 'or its equivalent of the disk I2. Communlcation with the interior of the container is thereby established and it is merely necessary to invert or otherwise manipulate the latter to remove as much of said contents as may be desired at the time. Tocut ofi' communication with the interior of the container or in other words, to close the same, it is necessary only to rotatably adjust the closure I4 to an extent sufficient to move its opening I5 out of registry with the aperture I3 of the disk I2. With the opening I5 and the aperture I3 out of registry with each other, the closure I4 acts as a.- seal to effectively close thelcontainer and`prevent unintentional spilling of its'c'ontents.

With the lnovel construction described hereinbefore and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the main section or body I Il and thev secondary section or sleeve II may be made of or one of said sections may be made of metal and the other of cardboard or the like, or said sections may be constructed of other combinationsl of materials adapted for the purpose. The disk I2 may be made of cardboard or its equivalent, or of metal, whichever is preferred, and the closure I4 likewise may be made of any suitable material although in its preferred form said closure I4 is constructed of metal.

In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the closure I4* is provided with hollow ribs or projections II located in spaced relation to each other diametrically of said closure I4` as illustrated. The .closure I 4'A may include a pouring opening I5l with any other type of opening or openings dependent upon the type of container for which it is designed.

'I'he hollow rib or projection I1 of the closure I4 and the hollow ribs or projections IIa of the closure I4s may be produced by being stamped from the material or the latter may be molded or otherwise manipulated t'o provide said ribs.

The closure I4b illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, includes a peripheral projection I1h preferably formed by cutting the material inwardly at the periphery of said closure I4b and shaping the tongue produced by such cutting, for instance, as shownin Fig. 7. The closure I 4b also may include a pouring opening I5 or any other type of opening or openings suitable to the purpose for which said closure- I4h is intended.

It will be understood that the ribs II and II instead of being in the cross-sectional form illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5 respectively, may be made and shaped in a manner corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the projection I'Ib of Fig. 7, if this should be preferred or desired.

As illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, the means whereby the closure I4c shown therein is rotated consists of a head or finger-piece I1c secured preferably .at the centre of said closure I 4c in any convenient manner as by means of a rivet IId. The closure I4c in its illustrated form also includes a pouring opening I5, it being understood that the latter may be replaced by any other suitable type of opening or openings as in the forms previously described.

All of the closures shown in Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive may be incorporated in the container and operate inthe same way as the closure I4 in the form illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3.

It will be noted, in the fullyk assembled condition of the parts as shown for instance in Figs. 1. 2, and 3, that the upper edge of the main section or body I0 constitutes an annular shoulder located within'the receptacle formed by the main and secondary sections I0 and II,`on which annular shoulder the .disk I2 rests, and that the closure I4 or its equivalent is rotatably held between said disk I2 and the internal bead I6 of the secondary' section or sleeve I I. The combina-I tion of these parts -in an operative structure is effected in a simple manner by simply telescoping the sleeve II over the body I0 and fixing it in proper place thereon. The assembling of all of the parts of the container constitutes steps easily performed by competent operators and requiring no particular skill in their performance.

In the arrangement shownv in Fig. 10 the container comprises a body section I0, preferably of cylindrical form, and constituting a receptacle provided near its open end with an inwardly directed annular shoulder; the latter, in the form illustrated, comprises an inwardly directed annular supporting bead vIIlb produced for instance by circumferentially indenting the body IIIa in any conventional manner. The annular supporting bead Illh constitutes a rest for a disk I2n which is dimensioned to snugly or frictionally fit the interior of the body section Ill and corresponds to the disk I2 of the form l'lrst described. Like the latter, the disk I2n is apertured in dependence upon the type of container with which it is to be combined and in accordance with the material for whichA the container is designed; in other words, the disk I2"L may be apertured to sprinkle the contents of the container or to pour the contents therefrom. For the purpose of exemplifying the aforesaid apertured arrangement, the disk I 2n is provided with a pouring aperture I3".

The latter or its equivalent is controlled by means of a rotatable closure I4d provided with a pouring opening I5d arranged to be adjusted into and out of registry with the pouring aperture I3O to selectively open and close the same at will;

it will be understood that, in thisform also, the 75 construction of customary containers, as well asV closure Ildis always apertured in a manner corresponding lto the aperture arrangement. of the disk l2 and to enable the apertured portion of the latter and the apertured portion of the closure Md, to be brought into andV out of registry with each other by rotatably adjusting the latter.

- As in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the closure Md is in the form of a disk dimensioned to easily and rotata-A bly t within the body section IIJ, and, in thev operative position-,rests uponand in surfaceengagement with the apertured disk l2. The clos'- ure Hd may be maintained in its assembled re- 'lation in any convenient manner, and in the' preferred construction projects beneath an internal holding bead I6EL formed preferably at the outer end of the body section i0". In practice the bead i6*L or its equivalent develops Ino material restraining effect upon the closure HSI and does not interfere with the operative rotation thereof; at the same time said beadll or its equivalent serves .adequately to maintain said closure Md in place. Any convenient operating means may be provided to facilitate the rotation of said closure Ill at will, which means may consist of a hollow rib or projection ili as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or comprise any of the devices illustrated respectively in Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive. i

The operation and functions of :the containern shown in Fig. 10 may otherwise be thesame as in' Figs.' 1, 2 and 3, and the advantages of the latter are also inherenttherein. 'l

,'Ighe novel construction in all of its forms provides a dispensing container which is eilicient in operation: and capable of being produced at extremely low cost, thereby considerably Vincreasing g the field in which containers of the indicated type may be economically utilized. The novel arrangement is adaptable to Icontainers over a wide range of dimensions and is capable of being incorporated economically and elciently in dispensing containers of specially small size and capacity.

Any materials conventionally utilized in the materials which cannot be used to advantage in existing types of containers, will be found acceptable in the production of the novel arrangement. Similarly, the novel features may be embodied in various combinations of materials, such as for instance metals and Vnon-metallic substances, in the construction. of, thet instant containers.

, Various changes in the specific forms shown and described may be made within the scope of the claims without departing .from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A" container comprising a cylindrical Ybody having one end open, a cylindrical sleeve fitted over said body andxed thereon against relative movement, said sleeve projecting axially beyond said open end of the body, an apertured disk fitted against relative movement interiorly of said sleeve and resting upon the open end of said body, an apertured closure in surface engagement with said disk and rotatable thereon, an internal annular bead at the 'outer end of said sleeve whereby said closure is maintained 'in place without interference with its rotation, and means on said closure` for rotating the same to adjust its apertured -portion intoand out of registry. with the aperturedportion of said disk.

2. A container comprising a cylindrical body having one end open, a cylindrical sleeve fitted over said body and xed thereon against relative movement, said sleeve projecting axially beyond said open end of the body, a disk frictionally fitted against relative movement within said sleeve in engagement with the open end of said body, said disk being provided with an opening. an annular internalbead on said sleeve extending inwardly over said disk in spaced relation thereto, anda rotatable closurein surface engagement with said disk andl projecting beneath said bead,` saidclosure having 'an aperture adjustable into and out of registry with the opening of said disk. '3.'A container comprising a cylindrical body having one end open, a cylindrical sleeve fitted over said body and xed thereon against relative movement, said sleeve projecting axially beyond said open end of the body, a disk frictionally fitted against relative movement within said sleeve in l engagement' with the open end of said body, said disk being provided with an opening, a rotatable closure in surface engagement with said disk and provided with an aperture adjustable into and out of registry with the opening of said disk, and means whereby said closure is maintained in place trolling the opening in said disk.

5. A- container comprising two lsections tele-` e scopically tted and secured together against relative movement, a disk frictionally iitted against relative movement within the one section in engagement with the end of the other section,

said disk being provided with an opening, and controlling means movably mounted in said one section in operative relation to said disk for controlling the opening in said disk.

6. A cover unit forcontainers consisting of a cylindrical sleeve, an linternal bead at the one end of said sleeve, an apertured disk frictionally fittedagainst relative movement within said-sleeve in spaced relation to said bead, an apertured rotatble closure in surface engagement with said. disk and projecting beneath said bead, and means for 5 rotating said closure to adjust its apertured portion `into and out of registry with the apertured portion of said disk.

7. A cover unit for containers consistingof a cylindrical sleeve, a disk frictionally iitted against relative movement within said sleeve and provided with an opening, a closure in said sleeve in rotatable surface engagement with said disk and having an aperture means for maintaining said elosure in operative relation to said disk without interfering with the rotation ofsaid closure,v and means on said closure for rotating the same to adjust its aperture into and out of registry with the opening of said disk.

.msnen c. norman,

on said disk without interference with its rotation 

